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I want to make a change in the supplements I've been giving my 8 year old special needs daughter. She has been making very dramatic improvements in her cognitive and intellectual capabilities the past 3 months since I changed her curriculum to address her dyslexia, as well as supplementing her diet with fish oil, DHA, vitamin B6, and thyme oil. However, she's developing an aversion to the supplements, particularly the fish oil as she is not capable of swallowing large gelcaps and I have to mix most of her supplements in juice or walnut milk. Also, I haven't been able to find DHA supplements to give her that don't have avoids in them, even though I read great things about it, included from Dr. D that wrote an article on its benefits.

I'm thinking about giving her the DPN fish oil formula and flaxseed oil formula and doing away with the other supplements I've been giving her. I'm not concerned about the fish oil formula and planned to give her half an adult dose (1 per day instead of 2), but the description of the flax oil formula says it was designed for teachers and nomads, which obviously a type O would not be.

So, would the 2 compliment each other, or does anyone think that taking both together would be too much for her? I want to give her as much as possible without "overdoing" the supplements as she still has a lot of catching up intellectually.

Posted by: Goldie, Thursday, June 20, 2013, 2:57am; Reply: 1

I am O and I have on aversion to fish .. which does not mean that your child has also.. But giving the child something she does not like is not condemned. I even have on aversion to flax oil ... there is no magic in those two.

A child might do just as well with extra light olive oil. The brain has a way to respond even to mayonaise if enough is given to a child when he or she is acting up.

Codliver oil is Only a Neutral for me.. so no need to waist my time with it.

Flax is Beneficial, but it better be very fresh. Olive oil by comparison seems not to go rancid.. For a child one of the other things of interest might be that the rules as indicated in the BTD books may not provide enough oil to begin with. Meaning a child may indeed need more oil than adults on food weightloss diets.

I think for any parent with 'special needs children, testing with olive oil, (not virgin but light because of the strong flavor) might pay off by giving the child a spoon and then another and another to see if behavior or thinking will change.

I had taken on 4 (dysfunctional) teens years ago, and I am only sorry that I did not try this on them. I am certain had I thought of it, I would have saved myself much grief. -- in fact my relative oil-free cooking might have been a detriment to the kids.. now that I think of it..

Olive oil has no side issues. And once the child has enough oil he or she would be showing improvements enough to gauge what the daily needs might be. 2 -3 table spoons a day for 2 month has fixed my constipation.. It took me years to finally figure that one out. I am so sorry that no one ever made the specific connection to the need for oil. --- in my case, I take it away from food, but if weight is not on issue then it could be added to foods. But it does have 120 calories.. so it replaces a snack for me.

On the other hand, does the child have dyslexia which would benefit from wearing special colored glasses? Years ago there was a book on the Erlin method. Type in: Irlen Institute, Colored Lenses, Colored Overlays, Diagnosticians ... and see what you can learn...

Posted by: Lola, Thursday, June 20, 2013, 3:12am; Reply: 2

contact customer service ....ask them if right and what dosage

they might give you a few tips

Posted by: C_Sharp, Thursday, June 20, 2013, 4:14am; Reply: 3

Flaxseed oil is beneficial for type Os. So I would have no qualms with giving your daughter some (even if it is labeled for teachers & nomads).

If she is not liking capsules, I would just buy a small container of flaxseed oil from the refrigerated section of the grocery store and mix this with juice or other beverage.

I would continue the fish oil has you have been.

Posted by: Lola, Thursday, June 20, 2013, 5:40am; Reply: 4

mfc wouldn t hurt mornings

Posted by: Adopted4, Friday, June 21, 2013, 12:01am; Reply: 5

Goldie, I saw your previous posts about olive oil relieving constipation and I had recently started adding about a tablespoon, uncooked and without food, to my dd's diet as she isn't consistently regular in spite of her mostly compliant diet. I haven't read that olive oil improves cognitive function, but has a calming effect on the central nervous system.

Csharp, I do buy flaxseed oil from time to time and store it in the fridge. Do you think the oil itself would be just as effective as the flax oil formula?

Lola, I'll call customer service when I decide on what DPN supplement(s) to buy. Thanks for the tip.

I'm still wondering how to get DHA in her diet without supplements with avoids. Is it found naturally in any compliant oils?

Csharp, I do buy flaxseed oil from time to time and store it in the fridge. Do you think the oil itself would be just as effective as the flax oil formula?

Yes (Unless oil is rancid or of low quality)

Here is what is in the flaxseed oil formula

It is flaxseed oil placed in gelatin capsules. If you are concerned with the particulate, you can buy oil with the particulate at the store. Carob powder is to darken the capsule so light does not degrade the contents as rapidly.

Posted by: C_Sharp, Friday, June 21, 2013, 1:17am; Reply: 7

Here is how I would use the flaxseed oil:

Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail:

Add 1 tbsp. of high quality flaxseed oil and 1 tablespoon of lecithin granules to 6 oz. of juice.

Posted by: aussielady582, Friday, June 21, 2013, 1:57am; Reply: 8

I would not be taking too much of any plant oils, as are too yin (weakening for cells in body) - I did this myself and became worse and weaker in many ways, esp when I was eating vegetarian/and vegan diet. There is nothing wrong with animal fats or some fish oils, esp if they are raw and organic. Ancestors ate this and were far healthier, used lard, butter etc. Dr Lawrence's site gives far more insight into yin and yang oils, I'd go for organic ghee, or butter and eat lamb, organic/free-range duck/poultry, grass-fed beef, omega-3 eggs. Flax oil may not be that fresh and has been processed out of its original food source, so has olive oil and olives are fruits, so more yin and more suitable for summer. If we all ate the recommended 9 to 10 cups of cooked different vegetables a day (not nightshade group of veg), I'm sure we'd all feel better and our minds would work better too, not to mention more emotional balance and strength. The real damage comes from grains, sugars/sweeteners, lactose, casein, processed / refined / junk / fast foods, low or fat-free dairy products. A person should not need huge amount of omega-3 anyway, it is better to avoid foods high in omega-6. Fresh veg has omega-3 in them, esp spinach, fresh dandelion. A few servings of sardines/anchovy/herring/mackerol per week would supply omega-3 in its whole form, plus vitamin D, calcium, zinc, iron, protein. The plate should be 70 to 80% cooked vegetables every time, if one has less at one meal, increase amount of veg at other meals. The more simple the better. It can be hard for the liver/pancreas to break down plant oils if there are other nutritional imbalances or mineral deficiencies which happened to me. Three good meals every day at regular times, avoid the snacking. Find a sauna/steam room to sit in, or build an infra-red sauna to use at home. I also noted Joy Feldman has a book for children on her site.

Posted by: Mrs T O+, Saturday, June 22, 2013, 12:40am; Reply: 9

I thought I read somewhere in BTDland that fish oil is not good for Os. Can someone enlighten us? I don't take it, but take other supps & eat lots of olive oil. Of course, eating compliant fish is fine.

Posted by: Adopted4, Saturday, June 22, 2013, 1:17am; Reply: 10

Aussielady, you're very right about making sure ample vegetables are eaten daily for optimum health. We do buy ghee and keep a continuous supply in the house, using it frequently for many different foods/meals. The olive oil I buy is light tasting and is purchased in a container that doesn't allow for light to spoil it. We also eat compliant fish a couple times a week, but can't afford much more than that. I don't know that there's really anything I can do much different in terms of diet with the multiple blood types and the food budget we have (which is not too tight). I looked briefly at the Joy Feldman link and will spend more time researching it this weekend.

Mrs. T, you may be remembering the discussion 3 months ago when I first discovered my dd's dyslexia. It was said that many fish oil supplements contain anchovy oil which is non-compliant for O's, but salmon oil would be a reasonable substitute which is what I chose to buy.

CSharp, I'm familiar with the membrane cocktail as I thought it was recommended for type B's to take, which my sons were drinking for a while, but I suppose it could be somewhat beneficial to other types also.

It just seems like my dd needs some kind of supplementation to improve her cognitive ability as she has a lot of catching up to do, and I tend to believe the supplementing I've done the last 3 months has helped her, in spite of the hassles to get her to be more accepting of it.

Posted by: C_Sharp, Saturday, June 22, 2013, 2:07am; Reply: 11

I suggested the membrane cocktail because it sounded as if some nerve cells in your daughters body might not be functioning as well as they should.

For nerve cells to work they must pass signals appropriately. The signals are passed through synaptic membranes. Improving the integrity of cell membranes should cause the nervous system to function better.

That is the logic behind Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail use in this case.

I suggested the membrane cocktail because it sounded as if some nerve cells in your daughters body might not be functioning as well as they should.

For nerve cells to work they must pass signals appropriately. The signals are passed through synaptic membranes. Improving the integrity of cell membranes should cause the nervous system to function better.

That is the logic behind Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail use in this case.

You make a very convincing argument about the benefits of the membrane cocktail, so I think I will add it to my dd's regimen instead of the olive oil. She will still receive a little olive oil in her fried foods and salad dressings.

Thanks again for the link, Lola, about dyslexia and DHA. I read it several months ago but it reaffirms the need to continue monitoring my dd's DHA intake through her foods (eggs and fish) as well as supplements. The article talks about dyspraxia, a lack of motor coordination, which is also a condition my dd suffers from but appears to be improving the last couple of months. Another related condition is dysgraphia, a word for poor handwriting and spelling. Not only have I seen improvements with her writing skills, but her sunday school teachers have noticed how beautiful and accurate she has been writing her name in recent weeks, which she really struggled with for a long time in spite of continuous daily practice.

That was a great link you sent me. The charts are very informative and educational. Thanks!

Posted by: Patty H, Saturday, June 29, 2013, 3:24pm; Reply: 16

Both my kids are dyslexic. One of the things that I found that really helped was Blue Green Algae. It is at the very base of the food chain of fish, meaning that most of the fish that have the beneficial oil feed on the algae. Fish oil can spoil easily and cause more damage, so I felt safer with the blue green algae.

Posted by: Goldie, Saturday, June 29, 2013, 4:33pm; Reply: 17

Quoted Text

Fish oil can spoil easily and cause more damage, so I felt safer with the blue green algae.

I like this idea better also.. cleaner.. I think..

Quoted Text

I would not be taking too much of any plant oils, as are too yin (weakening for cells in body) - I did this myself and became worse and weaker in many ways, esp when I was eating vegetarian/and vegan diet.

I am just saying,, you went vegetarian/vegan????? and you blame vegetable oils???

Both my kids are dyslexic. One of the things that I found that really helped was Blue Green Algae. It is at the very base of the food chain of fish, meaning that most of the fish that have the beneficial oil feed on the algae. Fish oil can spoil easily and cause more damage, so I felt safer with the blue green algae.

That makes a lot of sense. I searched Blue Green Algae and found a good powder I plan to buy.

Just to let everyone know, we have an appointment scheduled with the cranial/facial team in Baltimore a week from Monday (July 8th) for my dd. This is a new team of specialists we will be seeing since we moved from the twin cities where she was being treated by a different team. This original team, as well as the international adoption clinic specialists that evaluated her referral paperwork and examined her immediately after coming home, totally missed the dyslexia diagnosis. It was clear from the start of the process that poor speech was probably the most significant problem she had. How that many people could evaluate and meet with her without one of them ever suggesting she may have dyslexia I'll never understand. A lot of time was wasted and procedures were done trying to diagnose the root problem behind her speech problems.

Hopefully those frustrations are behind us and the new team will be able to give us clear and concise answers about her future treatment plan. I'll give you an update then. Thanks everyone!

Posted by: Amazone I., Sunday, June 30, 2013, 7:05am; Reply: 19

blue green algues are out for kiddies coz of the cyanobacteries in :-/ and sorry I am totally here with C_sharps offers and arguments ;) :D....and often those kids are driven from vagus and are reduced to sickness instead of the understanding that those need another form of language ;) ;D....(whistle)

blue green algues are out for kiddies coz of the cyanobacteries in :-/ and sorry I am totally here with C_sharps offers and arguments ;) :D....and often those kids are driven from vagus and are reduced to sickness instead of the understanding that those need another form of language ;) ;D....(whistle)

By another form of language do you mean another form of learning reading, writing, spelling, etc? If so, I totally agree. Our daughter went to a special school for dyslexic children where they teach language and math skills in a way that is accessible to dyslexic children.

The most important thing they did for our daughter was that they built up her self esteem by helping her to realize her particular strengths and how she can use those strengths to succeed. Their broad-based curriculum,offering things like theater, music, art, wood shop, blacksmithing, rope climbing, outdoor skills, etc., focused on helping kids with dyslexia feel good about themselves by encouraging what they did well rather than focusing on their weaknesses. During this time, I learned that focusing too much on a child's weaknesses can make them feel that they are somehow damaged or not as good as their non-LD peers. We had a speaker who came to the school and talked about how finding a child's "Island of Competence" will help them to feel good about themselves and begin to view themselves in a positive rather than negative light. It was an amazing experience to be part of that nurturing community of educators, parents and children.

blue green algues are out for kiddies coz of the cyanobacteries in :-/ and sorry I am totally here with C_sharps offers and arguments ;) :D....and often those kids are driven from vagus and are reduced to sickness instead of the understanding that those need another form of language ;) ;D....(whistle)

The other thing I forgot to address is the blue green algae. I guess not all algae is the same. I bought very expensive, high quality algae and never had any problems. In fact our children's health improved dramatically when on this regimen. Our daughter had to have tubes put in her ears because of constant ear infections. Once we got them on the algae, acidophilus and bifidus, neither of our kids had a sick visit in over a year. Our pediatrician called me to discuss why it was I thought that our children had become so much more healthy. The major change we had was the blue green algae, acidophilus and bifidus. Maybe the algae source is not as good now? I was doing this in the mid to late 1990's.

blue green algues are out for kiddies coz of the cyanobacteries in :-/ and sorry I am totally here with C_sharps offers and arguments ;) :D....and often those kids are driven from vagus and are reduced to sickness instead of the understanding that those need another form of language ;) ;D....(whistle)

Are you saying blue green algae is toxic for children? I haven't read any concerns about giving it to children and I looked at a lot of different products before choosing a powder form instead of capsule form which usually has stearates which should be avoided.